Bendable prong paper fastening clip



Jan. 20, 1953 w. E. BASSETT BENDABLE PRONG PAPER FASTENING CLIP FiledApril 7, 1951 W/LL/AM 5. 51455577 GttomegS Patented Jan. 20, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE BENDABLE PRONG PAPER FASTENING CLIP William E. Bassett, Woodbridge, Conn, assignor to The W. E. Bassett Company, Derby, Conn., a corporation of Connecticut Application April 7, 1951, Serial No. 219,806

1 Claim.

This invention relates to a fastening clip of the type comprising a bendable fastener which to thus retain the fastener in closed position.

It is an object of this invention to provide an improved clip or fastener of the type indicated in which there is no danger of the pointed end of the prong pricking the fingers of the user in the setting operation or after being set, in which the fastener is automatically locked by the simple operation of pressing the angularly arranged side members together.

It is also an object to provide a device of the character indicated which may be used for easily and quickly securing together a plurality of sheets of paper or the like, and is particularly adapted for closing containers or candy bags of paper, cloth, cellophane or like material, or for attaching labels or clipping papers and so forth.

In general, the object is to provide a simple, cheap, easily manufactured fastener clip which is easy to use and is very effective in use.

In the drawings which show, for illustrative purposes only, a preferred form of the invention:

Fig. 1 is a perspectvie view of the fastener clip on an enlarged scale showing it in the normal condition ready for use;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of a. finished strip in the flat before bending to the condition of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section substantially on line 3-3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a longitudinal central sectional view on a greatly enlarged scale showing the relationship of the parts just before the prong engages the opposed clip section;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary view in elevation showing the fastener clip in closed or set position;

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary longitudinal section showing the clip in the closed or locked position, the section being substantially on line 6-6 of Fig. 5; and

Fig. '7 is a transverse section substantially on the line 1-1 of Fig. 5.

The fastening clip is stamped from sheet material which will be referred to herein as sheet metal of the proper gauge and also of the proper hardness and composition so that it readily may be bent to the proper form, and when forced or pressed to the securing or fastening position the 2 parts will be bent toperform their function and the device will be maintained in set or locked position.

The fastener blank comprises an oblong body portion It! provided at one end with one or more prongs II and at the other end with one or more corresponding hoods l2 in general alignment with the prong or prongs i l. The blank is bent intermediate its length, as indicated in Fig. l, to form an angular shaped element comprising two sheet metal sections or body portions I3 and I4 integrally connected by the intermediate bend 15, the position of this bend being indicated by the dotted lines 15a in Fig. 2. To make the clip more easily bendable along the line l5a, the cross-section may be reduced as by punching an opening 16 therein. The stiffness and rigidity of the sheet metal sections may be increased if desired by pressing a series of longitudinal ribs or beads I'I therein.

The pointed prong I l is formed by lancing or slitting the metal of section [4 along the converging meeting lines or edges l8-l8 and pressing the prong out from between the lance lines.

'The prong near its base is preferably at right angles to the section H! as indicated at l i. Outwardly beyond the right angularly extending section I l the prong is preferably straight or very slightly curved. as indicated at l9, and the tip I9 is slightly hooked over or bent relatively to the section Hi. The tongue and particularly the hook end I9 is preferably slightly bent to concavo-convex transverse section, as indicated in Fig. '7, so as to give rigidity or stiffness, particularly to the hooked or bent over tip.

The hood I2 is formed in the section [3 by slitting the section I3 transversely, as indicated at 20, and then pressing out the metal into the general hood shape as shown. The pressing out of the metal to form the hood leaves an opening through which the end Id of the tongue may pass and engage and ride on the metal of the section l3 adjacent the slit 20. The inside of the hood is curved both transversely and longitudinally and acts as an anvil surface for the prong H. The hood [2 is preferably curved rather gently longitudinally as at 23-44, and the part approaching the slit 20 is preferably hooked in on a sharper curvature at 25 corresponding more or less to the curvature of the prong point l9.

As shown particularly in Fig. 4, the prong H, beyond the right angularly extending part I l, is inclined toward the hinge end l5 of the clip, and the hood I2 is positioned so that the prong end l9 engages the inner camming surface of the hood quite near the open end of the hood. When the sides 13-! of the clip are pressed together, the prong tip I9 is cammed through the opening at the end of the hood and rests on the surface beyond the slit 20. The rounded cam surface and the camming curved edge 25 of the hood at the slit hold or look the prong end IS in the position shown in Figs. 5, 6 and 7. The main body of the prong is bent or formed by the inner surfaces of the hood into the form shown in Fig. 6, and the constant tendency is to hold the tip I 9' in the locked position, as shown. The

slightly hooked end l9 and the transverse curvature strengthen the prong sothat the prong and curved hood hold or lock the prong end securely in the locking position shown.

When the fastener clip is to be used to clip parts together, such as sheets of paper, the clip in normal position shown in Fig. 5 is engaged over the edges of the sheets 26, indicated in Fig. 6, and the side sections l3' and: M are pressed together between the thumb and finger. The prong H will pierce the sheets, and the fastener clip will lock together as heretofore described. During the operation of closing. the fastener clip, there is no danger of the pointed end 19" of the prong H piercing or scratching the fingers. Also, as the prong is forced or locked tightly against the outer surface of the section 13 beyond the opening 22, and is tightly locked between this surface and the curved-in surface 25 of the hood, the point is protected so that there is no danger of its catching on thefingers or other articles after being set in the fastening position. Also, the prong is positively and definitely locked in the fastening position so that there is little danger that the clip will openup accidentally. It will be evident that coaction of the further inturned hook or curved wall 25 of the hood and the somewhat hooked or further bent end portion l9 of the pointed prong is an important feature in the operating and setting ofthis clip and one which prevents injury to the fingers of the user during the setting operation and definitely holds or looks the prong, and particularly its pointed free end, so that there is no danger of its causing injury to or catching on other articles when in the locked or set position.

It will be clear that my improved fastener clip is cheap to manufacture, easy to use, safe, and exceedingly secure.

While the invention has been described in detail and one preferred form shown, it is to be understood that: changes and modifications may be made within the scope of the claim.

I claim:

A bendable sheet metal fastener comprising a single piece bent between its ends to form two sections extending at an angle to each other and bendable further to locking position, one of said sections having a struck up pointed tongue extending toward the other section, said other section having a transverse slit therein and the metal at one side of said slit being struck up in the form of a hood providing a concave anvil surface to be engaged by said tongue, whereby said tongue wi11 be cammed into locking position by said anvil surface when said. sections are pressed toward each other to locking position, said tongue before being engaged by said hood and when said fastener is in normal open position having its base portion at substantially right angles to the section carrying. said tongue, and said tongue beyond said base portion being inclined inwardly in the angle between the sections, and the sharp end of said tongu being further curved to further incline the point for the purpose set forth, said sharp end of said tongue being arched or curved transversely to present a convex surface both longitudinally and transversely to said anvil surface. 7

WILLIAM E. BASSETT.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 903,173 Cliff Nov. 10, 1908 1,177,051 Possner as. Mar. 28, 1916 1,959,271 Kamrass .H May 15, 19-34 

